Beifa Group, the country's leading manufacturer of stationery based in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, issued its select gift series of pens on Oct 13, showing the achievements it has made with its newly developed stainless steel pen tip.

The gift series of pens, including pens presented to guest presidents at the 2008 Olympics and those used by all heads of state attending the G20 and BRICS summits, is already a hit product, selling more than 100,000 units in 2016, according to the company.

Launched before the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress, this event was also held as an achievements exhibition for the pen manufacturer during the 13th Five-Year Plan period.

"Another 'Made in China' page being written is encouraging, as the instrument of writing that page is designed and produced by the Chinese, with materials and parts also from domestic steel makers," said Qiu Zhiming, president of Beifa Group. "It is our obligation and destiny to prove to the world China is capable of producing pens with astounding quality."

Founded in 1994, in 2001 the group started to devote at least 5 percent of sales to research and development of ballpoint pens. This was done to break interal production limits, as the country still could not make the high-grade steel and precision machinery required to construct the key component of the pens－the metal ball and its casing. This reflected badly on Chinese manufacturing in general.

Since the Shanxi-based Taiyuan Iron & Steel Co Ltd, or Tisco, managed to crack the hard nut, the biggest ballpoint pen manufacturing giant in the world will no longer depend on imports of stainless steel to produce the writing instrument.

That devotion has paid off, since its products now cover 150 countries and regions, including the United States, Europe, Russia and Australia.

"For many people in other countries, 'Made in China' equals cheap prices and bad quality. I want to prove that 'Made in China' can stand for a good price and high quality." Qiu said. "We have received so much help from the country. We owe a good pen to our fellow countrymen."